Crossing Paths
by xxphantomgirlxx
Summary: Clarice is regretting the choice she made that night at the lake house. She can no longer take the intense pain that her mistake is causing her. She takes a guess at where he might be and sets out to find him.
1. Chapter 1

Crossing Paths

Chapter 1-Intense Pain

Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters.

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The pain was intense. It had been this way for a least a month now. Clarice Starling was sitting on her couch regretting the decision she had made that night at the boat house, just like everyday. She hated herself for letting her stupid grasps of wrong and right, her morals, and her ethics win that night. She let those stupid things speak up louder than her heart that night. The words haunted her everyday of her now empty life. _"Would you ever say to me stop? If you loved me you'd stop?"_ But her answer was what haunted her the most. Not his question. Her answer had been. _"Not in a thousand years." _And how she wished she could take it back. She couldn't sleep. He was waiting for her in her dreams. She saw his eyes, his face, she heard his voice, and she felt his touch. It wouldn't be so bad if she knew she hadn't let him down. Yes, a week after he had fled for his freedom again she had quit the FBI. She was sure that he would be pleased by that. Of course she still followed his case the best she could on her own. She could never drop it. It was a part of her; HE was a part of her. A part of her that was now gone because of her stupid mistake. Her emotions were on the verge of going numb. She knew she couldn't stay like this much longer. That was when she made a choice. She…Clarice Starling was going to find him…Dr. Hannibal Lector.

She grabbed what little files and other things she had left on Dr. Lector. She paged through them for hours. She listened to the tapes of their conversations in the asylum desperately, looking for anything…anything that could help her locate him now. She knew Italy wasn't a possibility after the Pazzi incident. He had talked about London some. It was possible he might be there, or Paris, or even…who was she kidding, she was rambling, she had no clue. Well…she did have London. At least he had talked about that one some. It was a long shot, but it was a shot; it was a chance, but it was a chance she would have to take.

Surprisingly, she managed to get a plane ticket fast, and even for today's plane flying out a seven tonight. It was five now. She hurriedly packed her things, and then walked around for a good fifteen minutes making sure she hadn't forgotten anything. She walked to her closet. She had forgotten one thing. She leaned down a grabbed something from a box in the bottom of her closet. She leaned back up with a gun in her hand. No, she would not need this gun to use on Dr. Lector. He wouldn't hurt her, and besides she was going after him to tell him she had made the biggest mistake of her life; not to arrest him or shoot him down. The only reason she was even taking the gun was because you never knew if danger was waiting for you or not. Clarice wondered if he knew she had quit her job. He probably did. Unfortunately, it had been all over the papers, and Clarice knew him. She knew he would still have some way of getting American news. And if he was in London the news had surely gotten there. She sighed, thinking. She knew he would be satisfied with her quitting the Bureau because all this time he had been right and she was either too stupid or to blind to see it. The Bureau resented her because she was not like them. If only she would have seen it sooner she would probably be with him right now, but she wasn't living for probably; she was living for finding him. Just like she always had before, but now she had a completely different reason to find him. No, this time she wasn't trying to arrest him to receive some great honor from the FBI. This time she was trying to catch him to receive the great honor of his love.

She was brought out of her thoughts by the honking of a car horn. She had completely forgotten she had arranged for a cab to pick her up. She quickly grabbed her things. She hurried out of the house locking the door behind her. She crawled into the cab with the very little amount of luggage that she had and told the cab driver to take her to the airport.

She boarded the plane soon after. She was relieved to see that she had the row by the window to herself. She settled herself into one of the chairs and took an old tape player out. She put the headphones on her head and pushed the play button. Anyone who would have guessed would have guessed that she was listening to music, and maybe to her it was. She was actually listening to the good doctor's voice. Once again she was listening to there conversations at the asylum. She couldn't even begin to count how many times she had listened to these tapes. But she wasn't listening to them to pick out little bits of information she might have missed earlier. She was listening to them just to hear the sound of his voice. So yes, maybe it was like her music.

Clarice opened her eyes and sat up groggily. She must have drifted off sometime last night. It was the first good night's sleep she had had in over a month and she wasn't ready to wake up. She knew she had to though. She took the headphones that were still on her head off, and asked the flight attendant for a cup of coffee. The flight attendant got it there quickly and Clarice started sipping on it as soon as the flight attendant had walked off. The hot liquid did its job. She found it easier to hold her eyelids open now. The plane was going to land soon. Clarice couldn't wait either. Not only did she want to hurry on to trying to find Dr. Lector, she also needed fresh air. She needed to breathe in the air and let it clear her mind. A short time later the plane had officially landed. Clarice hurried through getting her luggage and quickly stepped outside the airport. She took a deep breath and let the air clear her mind. She got a cab and rode closer into the city. She got out around the very first building she saw. She wanted to walk the rest of the way. She got out of the cab and stood on the sidewalk breathing the air once again. She closed her eyes and then opened them again. It was rarely ever sunny in London but today was one of those rare days where the sun was shiny and she was happy for that. She blinked once and then continued walking into the heart of the city.


	2. Chatper 2

Crossing Paths

Chapter 2- A Night at the Opera

Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters

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Clarice walked to a hotel where she had already reserved a room. She put her few belongings in the drawers. She hadn't packed very much because she planned to do most of her shopping here. She knew Dr. Lector wouldn't pass up a night at the opera so she would have to do some shopping for the right clothes to wear to the opera tonight and the nights to follow. No matter how badly she wanted to she couldn't wear her khakis and tank tops to the opera. So she grabbed her purse and decided to go ahead and get most of her shopping over with, and besides this would give her a chance to observe the city, or more importantly the people in it. She rode the elevator down to the lobby and walked outside. She advanced down the street looking for some of the designer clothing stores. She had decided to go with the more expensive designer clothes because she new that he would like them.

Hannibal Lector was looking through a rack of the designer suits when he caught a glimpse of familiar fiery red hair across the street from the shop he was standing in. "It surely could not be, could it?" He thought to himself. But she had ceased to surprise him. He walked over to another rack of suits closer to the window being careful not to let her, or what he thought was her, see him. Then the familiar head of fiery red hair turned letting him see her face and that verified it for him. It was her…Clarice Starling. He had seen her face but she had not seen his. "What was she doing here? He had read that she had quit her job, but could she possibly be here looking for him? She had just refused to run away with him a no less than a month ago." These thought ran through Dr. Lector's head while he carefully watched her continue to walk down the streets and into one of the little clothing shops. He walked back to the rack of suits he was looking at before and picked on out. He quickly paid for it and left. Once outside he slightly shook his head trying to rid it of his thoughts.

Clarice had picked out three divine dresses and two day outfits. That should get her by for a couple of days. Then she would have to go shopping again. She walked up to the counter and paid for her things. She constantly was searching the busy London streets on the way to and from her hotel room for any sign of him. There had been no sign of him yet, but Clarice was almost positive if he was here in London she would most certainly catch a glimpse of him at the opera tonight. Back at her hotel room the hour's drug on and on. Clarice was so anxious for tonight that she was on the edge of insanity. When it was finally time for her to start getting ready she let out a sigh of relief. She put on her designer, strapless, dark midnight blue dress. The dress really was elegant. She pulled her hair back into a nice looking bun put a little make up on and left her hotel room, and walked out of the lobby into the cool night air, and made her way down the street to the opera.

Dr. Lector walked into the opera house. He heard the soft mull of music that was always played before the opera actually started. He was about to walk through the lobby and take a seat when he caught a glimpse of HER. Clarice was walking through the lobby doors into the seating area, but he had caught a good glimpse of her. She had her hair pulled back into a neat, pretty little bun, and she was wearing an elegant dark midnight blue dress. He was almost sure it was a designer brand. He progressed to the opposite doors entering the seating area and watched her take her seat. He decided to sit a few rows back from hers. When the opera was over he quickly got up and walked outside before she could see him. He decided to skip the opera's after party for tonight. He wanted to hold off a little longer before crossing Clarice's path once again.

Clarice scanned her surroundings at the opera's after party. She had expected to see him here tonight, but she hadn't. "Was he not in London? Had he been here and seen her, but she hadn't seen him?" These thoughts raced through her mind. She finished the wine she was drinking and decided to leave. He obviously wasn't here if he was in London at all. She went back to her hotel room discouraged, but she wouldn't give up. She would go out and scan the streets again tomorrow and most certainly go to the opera again tomorrow night. Today was only Monday. She would look for him until the end of the week and if she hadn't found him she would go on and look for him else where, but she wasn't giving up looking for him here in London until then.


	3. Chapter 3

Crossing Paths

Chapter 3-Whispers behind Her

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It was time for the opera again. Clarice had been out walking the streets for a while but had still caught no sign of him. "Was he even here? Was she getting her hopes up to high?" The thoughts ran through her head. She put on one of the dresses that she had bought, and went down stairs and outside to attend the opera once again tonight. She looked around the lobby for a while and still didn't see him so she decided to go take her seat early and scan the seating area for him.

Once again Dr. Lector had walked in just in time to get a good glimpse at Clarice. Tonight her hair was simply down, but it looked ever so extraordinary. She had on a flowing black dress, but what she had on her feet is what surprised him the most. The shoes on her feet were none other than the ones he had bought her during their last encounter. This pleased him. He walked to the doors leading into the seating area and saw her sitting in about the same place she had set the night before. He softly started to walk to the row directly behind hers. He reached the row and gently eased down it and into the seat directly behind her without her noticing him. During the opera he took turns watching the opera itself and her. Finally the opera had ended. Dr. Lector saw that she was about to get up so he leaned forward and whispered these words onto the back of her neck. "Hello Clarice." He saw her tense and take in a sharp intake of oxygen. Then she let out what sounded like a sigh of relief and then loosen up. She turned around and he saw her eyes filled with happiness.

She willingly put her hand on his face and she looked as if she was having a hard time telling whether he was actually there or if she was having a dream.

"Dr. Lector?"

"Yes, my dear?"

She let out another sigh of relief and Dr. Lector could tell that she knew he was actually standing there, and she wasn't just having another one of her dreams. She actually looked like she might be in a state of shock.

"Clarice." Dr. Lector called her name bringing her out of her state of shock or train of thought one.

She shook her head as if to clear it. "I am here to tell you that I have made the worst mistake of my life. I never…"

"Clarice maybe we should discuss this else where. In the middle of an opera theatre seems like hardly the place."

"Oh right."

"Come on we can discuss this at my home."

She simply nodded her head. Dr. Lector noticed that she looked paler than normal and a little unsteady. He instantly took her arm in his to give her some balance. She looked like she could fall over at any moment.

As they walked Clarice's mind was buzzing with thoughts. "I can't believe I found him. I can't believe I'm walking down the street with him to his home." She was in such a state of shock. She wondered if he had noticed. He probably had because he had taken her arm in the theatre and now he had put an arm around her waist as if to keep her standing. Was she really that zoned out? She focused and began to think. "Okay Clarice, pull yourself together. He is here and it is time for you to pull yourself out of shock from it. This is what you wanted wasn't it? To find him?" Yes this was what she wanted, and now that she had what she wanted she had to bring herself back into the real world. She looked up at Dr. Lector and began to speak.

"Forgive me for being so quiet, but I was brought into quite a state of shock when I realized that it was actually you."

"It's fine Clarice." He said as they reached his home. He helped her up the steps just incase she was still a little unsteady. They walked into his beautiful home together and Dr. Lector was the first to break the silence.

"Now Clarice, what on earth are you doing in London?"


	4. Chapter 4

Crossing Paths

Chapter 4-Explination

I do not own any of these characters

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Clarice didn't respond all she could do was stand there at look at him. "Ironic isn't it?" She thought to herself. "You are able to tell him what you want to tell him when you're discussing it in a bad place, but when it comes down to when you're in the right place to be discussing the matter you can't even manage to stutter out a word."

"Now Clarice you were rambling at the theatre, but now it's like you can't speak. Surely you didn't come all the way to London to start to tell me something and then change your mind."

"No, no I..." She broke off. "Pull yourself together Clarice." She thought to herself again.

"Then what is it Clarice?" He said in his smooth metallic voice.

Clarice took a deep breath and then like at the theatre it all started pouring out uncontrollably. She told him of her mistake, of her pain, of her longing to find him, of how she was crushed when she thought that he wasn't in London. It all just kept pouring out. Dr. Lector was surprised. Clarice wasn't one to let her emotions out like this, but he didn't mind. He took Clarice in her arms and soothed her as she rambled on and on. Finally she stopped letting her emotions pour out and looked up at him with tear filled eyes. She really hated crying around him but tonight she didn't care. "I came here so I could run with you." She said hoping that that would some all of it up. "Than with me we shall run." He replied. Clarice let out a sigh of relief and instantly calmed herself down. She had been so worried that she was too late. That he wouldn't forgive her. That he wouldn't take her back. All those thoughts seemed silly to her now as see lie in his arms. She felt sleep trying to wash over her and she tried to fight it. She heard his cool metallic voice in her ear. "Sleep Clarice." At that she lost the fight and fell into a heavy slumber.

She woke up that morning. She looked around a little startled trying to remember where she was, but then it all came back to her. She had fallen asleep in his arms last night when he had told her that they would run together. A smiled came across her face. Finally, finally she was happy. She sat up and started to massage her temples. She felt her hands pulled down to her sides and a new set of soft gentle hands started massaging her temples again. "Good morning Clarice." "Good morning." She replied effortlessly. She was so relaxed right now, and she was taking advantage of it because this was the first time she had been relaxed since that dreaded night at the lake house.

"Clarice."

"Mm…hmm." Was all she could manage to reply.

"I have been in London for a while. We will have to leave soon."

"Why have you done something?" She said coming out of her relaxed mode and tensioning.

"No, I have just found it best not to stay in one place for too long. Now relax."

At the words she did go back to relaxation. "Oh, okay. Where are we going?"

"I thought you might like to choose."

"Me?"

"Yes."

"What are my options?"

"Anywhere but Florence."

"Oh, darn, and that's where I wanted to go." She said sarcastically.

He chuckled.

"What about Paris?"

"Paris sounds wonderful to me."


End file.
